WASHINGTON — Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, certainly isn’t pulling any punches in his bid to unseat the No. 2 Republican in the Senate.

Stockman, who is launching a primary challenge against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, didn’t mince words, saying the incumbent “lustfully plunges his bloody knife into the back of any conservative he can find.”

In a fundraising letter just released, the congressman accused his fellow Texan of “knifing Rand Paul in the back” to try and stop him from being elected to the Senate.

Then Stockman accused Cornyn of having done the same to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

And now, the lawmaker charges, “Cornyn, his anti-Ted Cruz PAC (political action committee) cronies and his $2 million in pro-amnesty cash are knifing me in the back.”

Stockman claims Cronyn’s “cronies” pocketed a $2 million check from a pro-Cornyn amnesty supporter and are using the money “to make shady attacks on me.”

He says that is the same PAC used to attack Cruz when he ran for Senate.

The congressman maintains the senator is resorting to “shady” actions because “poll after poll” show Cornyn would not win the March 4 Republican primary in Texas, and that he would be forced into a runoff.

And why is he running against his fellow Republican?

Stockman charges Cornyn actually begs Republicans to not be “so confrontational” with President Obama.

WND broke the news 10 days ago that Stockman would run against the incumbent in the Texas primary.

At the time he said he was running because Cornyn “undermined Sen. Ted Cruz’s fight to stop Obamacare.”

With his campaign little more than an hour old, Stockman had already picked up some major support.

Jenny Beth Martin, president and co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, told WND, “Congressman Stockman has proven himself to be a fighter for freedom who votes in the House of Representatives based on constitutional principles. We need more senators who will do the same.”

Martin added, “The campaign will be interesting to watch unfold over the next few months as Stockman campaigns on these values, reminding Texans why they value their freedom and independence and why they need to change Washington, D.C., where the government has grown too big and too powerful.”

Stockman further explained to WND he was running against Cornyn because, “We are extremely disappointed in the way he treated his fellow congressmen and broke the 11th commandment and undermined (Sen.) Ted Cruz’s fight to stop Obamacare.”

The Texan added, “And now, it looks like Cruz was right and Cornyn was wrong. He (Cornyn) sided with the president, essentially, in making sure Obamacare became law while Cruz did everything possible to stop it.”

It wasn’t just what Cornyn did, but how he did it, that rankled Stockman.

“If you disagree with someone, that’s fine, but I really believe you should do it privately, not so publicly,” he said. “He made a big show of removing his name from a letter supporting Cruz.”

Stockman sounded as if he couldn’t wait to take on this new challenge.

“We think he needs to be held accountable for his decisions, and we look forward to a vigorous campaign,” he said.

The congressman also expects it will be tough to unseat the incumbent, saying, “I know John is in the habit of attacking conservatives. He didn’t back (Sen.) Marco Rubio, and he didn’t back (former Senate candidate) Joe Miller in Alaska.”